Spyware Abuse of Signal and WhatsApp Targeting US Officials

Cyber Advisory Cites Abuse of Linked Devices to Monitor Sensitive Communications Chris Riotta (@chrisriotta) • November 25, 2025

The U.S. cyber defense agency warned that cyber threat actors are targeting current and former high-ranking government, military and political officials by using commercial spyware to gain unauthorized access to messaging apps such as Signal and WhatsApp.

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An advisory from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency highlighted "multiple cyber threat actors actively leveraging commercial spyware to target users of mobile messaging applications" while using "sophisticated targeting and social engineering techniques to deliver spyware and gain unauthorized access" to the victim's account and device. The alert says evidence suggests threat actors are using phishing and malicious device-linking QR codes to compromise accounts, as well as zero-click exploits "which require no direct action from the device user" and the impersonation of popular messaging ...